Apparatus and method for drying printed webs



T. FUYKERS Nov. 26, 1935.

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DRYING PRINTED WEBS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledMarch 18, 1931 NOV. 26, 1935. v FUYKERS 2,022,593

APPARATUS AND METDOD FOR DRYING PRINTED WEBS I Filed March 18, 1931 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 26, 1935.. T. FUYKERS APPARATUS AND METHOD FORDRYING PRINTED WEBS Filed March 18, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. 26, 1935.T, FUYKERS 2,022,593

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DRYING PRINTED wEBs Filed March 18, 1951 5Sheets-Sheet 4 M Jule/rum Nov. 26,1935. V YT. FU Y KERS 2,022,593APPARATUS AND fugmon F R DRYING PRINTED WEBS Fild March 5,1s, 1931 5SheetS-She et 5 Patented Nov. 1935 UNITED STATES assess: I i

METHOD FOR DRYING srraas'ros i um PATENT orr cs I Theodor Fuykers,Dusseldorf, Germany Application March is, 1931. Serial No. szssvs InGermany April 29, 1930 For drying webs of all kinds of paper or fabricprinted by a heliographic process and especially in the'case ofcontinuously printing webs moved by rollers, has'been proceeded hithertoby leading this web either round cylindrical heated drums'or over heateddrying tables and projecting dry air upon the printed side of therunning web by means of blowing nozzles distributed above the runningweb. This drying method requires drying plants of great length, andmoreover, the speed of the printed web is limited 'to very small values.

During the drying process, the printed web will undergo modifications inits physical constitution, due to the intense heating, especially when aweb of paper is treated, said heating even bringing about a shrinkingefiect on the web of paper or fabric, so that afterwards it will be verydifllcult to adjust the different colours during polychromatic printing.The slow drying process also provokes partial penetration of the printedcolour into the paper even going entirely through the'web.

Finally, the before-mentioned method has the web of paper or fabric,this air being immediately sucked away by corresponding suction nozzles,so that no vapors of the solvents of the colour will be distributed inthe atmosphere or will be carried along by. the running web.

on applying this method, a. rapid renewing of the air loaded with thevapors of the solvents of the colour will be obtained and said airloaded with the solvents will immediately be evacuated from the runningweb, so that each following part of the web will be submitted to theinfluence of a stream of fresh, dry air well suited for drying the webandthe colours thereon.

Th6 apparatus for executing the described method may comprise a seriesof blowing nozzles alternating with a, series of suction nozzles mountedabove the web, and transversely thereto with respect to the movingdirection of the printed web. the nozzles extending over the wholebreadth of the latter.

The nozzles will be advantageously placed inside a. chamber closelyembracing the running web, the sucked air being delivered into the freeatmosphere. In this manner the used air will not penetrate into-theworkshop or factory and the health of workmen will be secured.

Due to the method according to the present inover a very reduced lengthof the running web 7 with the result that the speed of the running webmay be considerably increased.

The heating means required hitherto are now eliminated, thus permittinga considerable economy and simultaneously avoiding the undesirableaction of the increase of temperature on the constitution of the paperand the difllculties resulting therefrom, for instance the adjustment ofthe colours during the polychromatic printing.

The present invention also relates to the construction of a dryingapparatus of very small dimensions, and avoiding the production ofelectric sparks, so securing the plant against flre.

Furthermore. it is now very easy to handle the apparatus and themounting of the latter is also easy.

The accompanying drawings illustrate, by way of example, a plurality ofembodiments of an apparatus for executing the method according to theinvention.

Fi 1 is a longitudinal vertical section on line I--I of Fig. 2 01' afirst embodiment;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, seen from below and partly in section;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal verticalsection through a second embodiment;

Fig. 4 is a front view of a vertical section according-to line IV-IV ofFig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section on line V-V of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a detail;

Fig. 'l is a diagrammatic view of a third embodiment shown in verticallongitudinal section;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view or a plant for executing the methodaccording to the invention; I

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view of a' second application of an apparatusaccording to the invention in a rotary printing machine;

Fig. 10 shows an example 01 a series of blowing and suction nozzles intransverse vertical section, on line X- X of Fig. 11;

Fig. ll shows a horizontal section on' line XI-XI of Fig. ll);

Fig. l2 shows another example of a series of blowing and suction nozzlesin vertical cross section, on line XII-XII of Fig. 13;

Fig. 13 shows a horizontal section on line,

Fig. 18 is an end view of the nozzle shown in Fig. 16; and

Fig. 19 shows a vertical cross section on line XIX-XIX of Fig. 17/

As can be seen from Figs. 1 and 2, a printed web 2 of paper or fabricruns lengthwise in the direction of the arrows 5-5, enters through asmall opening 8i near the bottom 80 of a casing, passes over the bottomof said casing with the non-printed side next to said bottom and leavessaid casing through an exit 82. A number of blowing nozzles M alternatewith a series of suction nozzles 86 having slits 20 and 23 next to theprinted'side of the web. The blowing nozzles are mounted in a lateral orside wall 89 of the casing and are all connected to a common feedingconduit 85 for supplying fresh, dry air to said nozzles. The suctionnozzles are mounted in a lateral orv side wall 88 of said casing andconnected together to an exhaust conduit 81.

As can be seen from the drawings, the upper parts of said nozzles lienear to the ceiling or top wall of the casing. All slits 20 and 23 arearranged athwart the moving direction of the web and are parallel withrespect to one another. The side walls 88 and 89 substantially close thespaces between the top and bottom walls.

The fresh dry air is blown under pressure through the slits 20 of theblowing nozzles 84 onto the web of paper. Said dry airwill be loadedwith the solvents of the printed colours and will immediately beevacuated by the suction action of the suction nozzles 86 behind theblowing nozzles.

Of course, the shape of said nozzles can be modified as will be seenfrom the following description of the other figures.

The arrangement of the drying apparatus according to Figs. 3 to 6consists in the combination of a plurality of drying chambers mountednext and parallel to one another with their axes parallel to thedirection of movement 5 of the web 2. Said web runs over rollers 3 and 4mounted before and behind the base plate of said independentcompartments II, the web running over said base plate I. Each chamber IIis provided with a series of suction nozzles 9i, mounted in the lateralwalls 7 and '8 of each compartment and corresponding with openings Illtherein. As shown on the left hand side of Fig. 4, said openings illcommunicate with an exhaust conduit I9, whilst the lateral openings itin the walls 7 and t of the adjacent compartments also correspond toenable the exhaust of used air from all compartments into one and thesame exhaust vconduit l9. Each nozzle 9 has a prismatic triangularshape, as can be seen from Figs. 3 and 6 and leavesbetween two oppositelateral walls a Wedge-shaped passage with a small slit 20 near to theprinted web '2, said wedge-shaped passage acting as blowing nozzle. Theupper part of each chamber II has an inlet port l3 with aiclosing valveI4, which can be controlled by a handle I5 mounted outside of said inletI3. On the rotary stem of said valve H, but on the other extremity, ismounted an electric switch I6, said switch controlling the heating coilI! mounted within the casing II, in such a manner that a current of airpassing over said coil will be heated. Obviously the switch I6 isconnected to a source of electricity.

The arrangement is such that, if a valve I l is in closed position, theelectric current will be switched off.

All inlets I3 are in communication with a feeding conduit I8, to whichdry air is supplied by any appropriatefmeans, for instance a fan,sucking and compressing ventilator or draught blower.

As can be seen from the drawings, (Figs. 3 and 6) each slit 23 of thesuction nozzles 9, is bounded by flanges or feet 2| and 22, the foot 22lying at a greater distance from the running web 2 than the foot 2|, sothat the first one, 22, guides the currents of dry air round the edge ofthe suction nozzles into the latter, said currents sweeping along theprinted surface of the web, so that the working will be very efficient.

. It is a known fact that printed webs while running over rollers becomeloaded with static electricity, even to such a degree that often sparkswill be produced, this being a danger for the whole plant and havealready in many cases caused fire. As in the present case the speed ofthe running web is higher than in plants hitherto used, this danger ofproducing static electricity will be much greater and for this reason,in the present case, this danger can be reduced by arranging on the backside of the wall-plate I a cooling room IIlI with an inlet I02 and anoutlet I03, so that a. current ofcooling water may run through thischamber IOI in counter-direction to the running movement 5 of theprinted web'. In this manner the taking fire, due to the production ofelectric sparks, of the web or any dust is avoided.

As can be seen from Fig. 4, a plurality of drying chambers I I arearranged lengthwise adjacent to each other, so that the whole breadth ofthe running web will be treated and dried with great efficiency. As theseries of blowing nozzles 20 alternate with the series of suctionnozzles 9, the length of the apparatus may be very short and the timeduring which a drying action takes place on the running web isconsequently also very short, so that the known disadvantages, forinstance the shrinking efiect, will be entirely avoided, as the dryingaction is very rapid. Moreover it is pmsible to regulate said dryingeffect stripwise in accordance with the number of parallel dryingcompartments II.

Furthermore, it is an advantage that these compartments I I areinterchangeable and that their number may be increased or decreasedaccording to the width of the running web to be treatcd so that theoutput of the plant will be i very high.

The path of the current of air has been indicated inFigs. 4 and 6 by thearrows 24, 25, and 28. It will be understood that the lateral wall 2'!will have no outlet openings if no exhaust conduit is provided for tothat side of the extreme right hand drying compartment I I. But in thecase of Fig. 8, where an exhaust conduit I9 is provided on the left handand an exhaust conduit 28 on the right hand, the lateral partition 21will of course have outlet openings Ill, as has been shown for thelateral walls I and 8 in Fig. 4.

a In the modified embodiment shown in Fig. 7, the bottom of eachcompartment is formed by an endless belt 29 running over guiding rollers30 and 3|, drivenby a motor 95, preferably at a speed equal to the speedof the running web 2 and in the same direction, so that no rubbingefl'ect will be produced. Between the two strands of the endless belt ismounted a cooling casing IIII with an inlet I02 and an outlet I03, ashas already been described with reference to Fig. 3.

The upper part of the apparatus, however, is movable with respect to thebase part and is carried by slotted guide bars '33, whichv grip/ round ahand lever 38 fixed to one of the toggle levers 35, so that an easyinspection as well of the printed web as of the apparatus will bepossible.

Of course, the connections to the exhaust and feeding conduits l8 andI9, as well as the connections to the electric source will be flexibleIor allowing the lifting movement of the upper part 01 the apparatus.

It is also 'possible to have the upper part of the apparatus mountedrigidly whilst the base plate or lower part will be movable.

The presence of an endless guiding belt enables the drying, of separatesheets or printed paper, but for this purpose hooks I29 or like meanswill be provided for causing the separate sheets to run with the endlessbelt. The dried printed sheets will be collected as soon as they leavethe apparatus.

Ashas already been mentioned with reference to Figs. 3 to 6, the dry airmay be supplied by a fan, ventilator or blower.

A complete plant of such an installation is shown in Fig. 8, where asucking and compressing ventilator 35, or the centrifugal type, suppliesdry air into the feeding conduit iii, the latter feeding the chambers b.As said draught blower tiil also exerts a. suction action, the used airloaded with vapours during the drying action on the printed side, of therunning web 2 will be sucked out of the compartments ii in action,through the exhaust conduits it and 28 and through the exhaust pipingit. Of course, the ventilator 39 can be driven. by any appropriate knownmeans not shown in Fig. 8. Ash: is absolutely necessaryto eliminate thevapours from the used air, a purl fier ill is inserted in the exhaustpiping db, so

that in said purifier the vapours of the solvents of ink and colours,for instance xylol, of the printed side of the web may be separated andeliminated,

whilst the purified dry air will be sucked by the fan 39 out of thepurifier 4!. In this manner, the whole quantity of air used for dryingpurposes will flow in a closed circuit.

It may occur during drying that the running printed web does not stayflat and plane, and therefore it will be advantageous to avoid thisundulating during drying. For this purpose, it is preferable to give aconvex shape to thebottom of the drying chamber, as diagrammaticallyshown in Fig. 9 in combination with a rotary printing machine. This Fig.9 shows diagrammatically drying apparatus 113 and M linked together by ahinge it. The web ii to be printed passes over a first printing rollerit, then runs and'it can immediately be led away upwardly as shown indotted lines. The printed web II will nevertheless pass through a set ofdrying apparatus l3 and I4 linked together and occupying a knee-shapedposition, as indicated by dotted haust piping as shown in Fig. 8.

lines. This set- ,9! apparatus maybe the same as i the set 13 and 6,butin thiscase this set of appa-' ratus will be 'rotatably and movablymounted round its support," The convex shape of the bot-,9-

toms of said drying compartments permits the" running web to adhere veryclosely to the support,

for instance an endless belt.

The blowing and sucking nozzles as diagrammatically illustrated in Figs.3 and 6 may be constructed in different ways and ,a first modificationof thecombined series of alternating blowing and suction nozzles hasbeen shown in Figs. 10 and 11. Between the two lateral longitudinalpartitions l and 8 has been mounted a separating wall 42, so that overthe whole length oi! the 15 combined nozzle system lead a feedingconduit l3 and an exhaust conduit 44. The first one is open towards itsbottom or back and subdivided in a certain number of bifurcatedstreamsled into the difierent blowing slits Zll and prevented fromescaping laterally into the exhaust pipe by lateral obliquewalls it. Thedifferent bifurcated streams will flow around the feet 22 and escapethrough the slits 23, and finally fiow into the exhaust conduit t lthrough triangular apertures db 2-) bounded by the edges ofthe lateraloblique walls Mi. This arrangement causes the difierent blowing currentsto sweep narrowly over the printed side of the running web 2 duringtheir passage between said web and the foot 22 as indicated by so arrowsin Fig. 10.

As can be seen from Figs. 12 and 13, it is also possible to have acentral feeding conduit tit bounded by two lateral longitudinalpartitions ill and ill, whilst the exhaust of the used air will takeplace through the lateral exhaust conduits to and 5b between thepartitions ill and l and ti? and 8. Also in this case the lower side ofthe feeding conduit M is entirely open and the bifurcation of the fedstream of fresh dry air is ch- 0 tained'by the walls 9 constituting theblowing nozzles, their lateral side being closed by oblique lateralwalls 55, the latter leaving triangular apertures 52 and 53communicating with the exhaust conduits 49 and fill, in a similar manneras de- 4;, scribed with reference to Fig. 11.

All the slits 23 and 2d are parallel and if the combined blowing andsuction nozzles system is mounted over the running web, all these slitswill be oblique or perpendicular to the running direction of said web.If the width of the running web to be treated is greater than thebreadth of a series of combined nozzles, then a plurality of suchcombined nozzle systems will be adjacent and parallel to one another, soas to treat the en- 05' tire breadth of the running printed web.

All the feeding conduits 43 or ill will communicate with a feedingpiping, and all exhaust conduits M, 49, and M will be connected to anex- In Fig. 14 another combination of blowing and suction nozzles hasbeen shown perspectively. All the suction nozzles 9 show in crosssection a triangular form. Said suction nozzles do not touch one anotherat their base, but leave a slit 05 20, so thatlthelouter surfaces formthe blowing nozzles. Each lateral wall of a suction nozzle carries aflange I22 or IN, the distance beneath each flange and the running web 2being different, so that one series of flanges effects a guiding actionupon the bifurcated streams of dry air blown against the printed side ofthe running web and escaping from the printed side after the dryingaction, through the slits 23.

All suction nozzles are closed. at both extre'mi- .4 ties, but exhaustopenings 56 are provided in the central portion of the nozzles bycutting away a For tudinal partitions 5B and 59 are provided, formingtogether an, exhaust conduit of triangular cross section, with the topcorner downwards. For

enabling the combination of any number of suction nozzles, saidpartitions 58 and 59 are fltting tightly in corresponding grooves 60 and6 I, formed in the partition of the adjacent nozzle. On the top edge ofthe combined partitions 58 and 59 are then mounted longitudinal walls51, so that the exhaust conduit is built up by the partitions 51, 58,and 59.

Another form of nozzle has been shown in Figs. 15 to 19, suchconstruction also enabling the alinement oi series of nozzles toforrn acombined blowing and suction system with parallel slits 23 and 20. Thesenozzles are produced as a pressing or cast element provided with alateral wall Ti. The inner chamber 90 of each nozzle communicates with asuction chamber 18, all suction chambers communicating with the exhaustconduit formed by a U-shaped cover the flanges of which engage thegrooves 69 and 10. The inner chamber 90 isbounded by two walls 9i and 92(Fig. 17) whilst the bottom of the compartment 90 has a suction slit 23being narrower in its central part than at both its extremities (Fig.15). A succession of nozzles are connected together by screw boltsbasing through bores 63, 64 and 65, 63', M and 65. It all the nozzlesare connected and combined together, all slits 20 and 23 will beparallel. Grooves 68 provided in the upstanding lateral and walls l! areintended to be engaged by the flanges of a further outer cover so as toconstitute the blowing conduit delivering air at the sides of thesuction chambers 18 and through the slits 20 left between adjacentelements.

Transverse connections between the nozzles are secured in as and s1(Figzlfi).

A transverse recess 93 (Fig. 17) is provided at the underside of thenozzle for producing a whirling eflect in the drying air flow.

From Figs. 15 to 19 may be seen that streams of dry air are obliquelydirected along the inclined walls 94 of the elements, to the printedside 01 the running web 2, to,be immediately sucked up through the slits23 in a direction opposite to the moving of the web.

The nozzles according to Figs. 15 to 19 may be obtained by pressing ormay be cast. course, each blowing slit 20 will alternate with a suckingslit 23.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for drying printed webs, comprising a casing having atop wall, a bottom and side walls, an entrance for a printed web nearthe bottom of said casing, an exit for said printed web at an oppositeside near the bottom oi. said casing, means for continuously moving saidprinted web with the unprinted side next to the bottom, a toggle leverconnection and guide means between the top and side walls and the bottomwall of the casing for adjustably raising and iowering the top and sidewalls with respect to the bottom wall, a plurality of blowing nozzleswith their slits across the printed web, anequal number of suctionnozzles with their slits parallel to the slits oi the blowing nozzles,the blowing slits alternating with the suction nozzles and forming anintermediate structure supported by the side walls of the casing, meansfor ieeding a stream of dry air' through the blowing nozzles, and anexhaust conduit connected to said suction ,nozzles. v

2. In apparatus for drying printed webs of the type described, a suctionnozzle in the shape of a hollow prismatic body of triangular crosssection, one wall of said body being substantially parallel to theprinted web and having a straight longitudinal slit cut in the medianportion therev of so as to leave two flanges forming guides fortheflowing air, and at least one opening in the side end walls of theprismatic body for the passage of a current of air.

3. In apparatus for drying printed webs of the type described, a suctionnozzle in the shape of a hollow prismatic body of triangular crosssection, one wall of said body being substantially parallel to theprinted web and having a straight longitudinal slit cut in the medianportion thereof so as to leave two flanges, the central portion of saidslit being narrower than the end portions thereof, and at least Oneopening in the side end walls oi the prismatic body for the passage of acurrent of air.

4. In apparatus for drying printed webs of the type described, a suctionnozzle formed with a v-shaped wall, the edges of the V-shaped wallhaving inwardly directed flanges lying in different parallel planes andforming a straight suction slit facing the printed web, means forconnecting successive nozzles at a short distance apart from andparallel to each other, and at least one conduit communicating with eachnozzle for the passage of a current of air.

5. In apparatus for drying printed webs of the type described, a casing,a plurality of suction nozzles arranged with their slits across theprinted web, said suction nozzles being formed with a V-shaped wall andbeing arranged at a 40 short distance apart from and parallel to eachother, so that the walls of adjacent nozzles constitute a blowing nozzletheslit of which is parallel to the suction slit and close to theprinted web, at least one partition dividing the casing in 45 blowingand suction conduits, the suction nozzles communicating by ports withsaid suction conduits and the blowing nozzles opening in said blowingconduits.

6. A method for drying paper webs printed 0 with colors consisting inmoving the printed web lengthwise through a chamber which narrowlyembraces and substantially completely encloses and evacuating on thesame side of the web the air loaded with vapors oi the color solventalong a line adjacent to the line where the stream of blown air strikesthe web.

7. A method for drying paper webs printed with colors, consisting inmoving the printed web lengthwise through a chamber which narrowlyembraces and substantially completely encloses the moving web, blowing aplurality of streams of unheated air inside of said chamber against theprinted surface of the web, and sucking away the air loaded with thevapors of the color solvent, at a point closely adjacent the point at 70which the air strikes the web.

8. A method for drying paper websprinted with colors, consisting inmoving a web lengthwise through a casing which is substantially closedon all sides and narrowly embraces the streams directed towards themoving web, blowing each bifurcated stream against the printed side ofthe web, sucking off the air'loaded with vapors of the color solventfrom the printed side of the web at a short distance beyond the line ofimpact of each bifurcated stream on the web,

3 and guiding each bifurcated stream parallel and close to the surfaceof the printed side of the web towards the line of suction.

9. In an apparatus for drying paper webs printed with colors, anunheated casing having a top wall, a bottom wall, and side wallssubstantially closing the spaces between the top and bottom walls fornarrowly enclosing a printed web, an entrance for a printed web in thefront side wall near the bottom of the said casing, an exit for I saidprinted web at an opposite side near the bottom of said casing, meansfor continuously moving said printed web with the unprinted side next tothe bottom, meansfor blowing fresh dry air against the printed side ofthe web along a line transverse to the moving web and for evacuating theair loaded with vapors of the .color solvent along a line transverse tothe moving web.

10. In an apparatus for drying paper webs printed with colors, anunheated casing having a top wall, a bottom wall, and side wallssubstantially closing the spaces between the top and bottom walls fornarrowly enclosing a printed web,

an entrance for a printed web in the front side wall near the bottom ofthe said casing, an exit for said printed web-at an opposite side nearthe bottom of said casing, means for continuously moving said printedweb with the unprinted side next to the bottom, means for blowing freshdry air against the printed side of the web along a line transverse tothe moving web and means for sucking away the air loaded with vapors ofthe color solvent at a point closely adjacent the point at which the airstrikes the web.

11. In an apparatus for drying printed webs, comprising a casing havinga top wall, a bottom wall, and side walls substantially closing thespaces between the top andbottom walls narrowly enclosing the printedweb, an entrance for aprinted web in the front side wall near the bottomof said casing, and an exit for said I printed web at an opposite sidenear thebottom of said casing, means for continuously moving saidprinted web with the unprinted side next to the bottom, and means forfeeding a stream of fresh dry air into said casing, a plurality ofblowing nozzles, connected to said air feeding means and having outletslits extending transversely across the'printed web, an equal number ofsuction nozzles having outlet slits parallel to the slits of the blowingnozzles, the blowing nozzles aternating with the suction nozzles andforming an intermediate sturcture substantially parallel to the printedweb and supported by the side walls of the casing, means for guiding thestream of air issuing from the blowing nozzles parallel and close to theprinted web, and an exhaust conduit connected to said suction nozzles.

12. In an apparatus for drying printed webs of'the type described, anunheated casing having a top wall, a bottom and side walls narrowly en--web in the front closing a printed web, an entrance for a printed sidewall near the bottom of said casing, and an exit for the said printedweb in an opposite side near the bottom of said casing, means forcontinuously moving the printed 5 web lengthwise with its unprinted sidenear the bottom of said casing, means for feeding a stream of dry airinto said casing, a plurality of suction nozzles having outlet slitsextending transversely across the printed web, said suction nozzlesbeing formed with a V-shaped wall and being arranged at a short distanceapart from and parallel to each other, so that the walls of adjacentnozzles constitute a blowing nozzle communicating with the casing andhaving. a slit parallel to the suction slit and close to the printedweb, said blowing nozzles being connected to said air feeding means, andan exhaust conduit connected to said suction nozzles.

13. In apparatus for drying printed webs of the 20 type described, anunheated casing having a top wall; a bottom and side walls narrowlyenclosing a printed web, an entrance for a printed web in the front sidewall near the bottom of said casing, an exit for the said printed web inan opposite'25 side near the bottom of said casing, means forcontinuously moving the printed web lengthwise with its unprinted sidenear the bottom of said casing, a plurality of suction nozzles havingoutlet slits extending transversely across the printed web, said suctionnozzles being formed with a V-shaped wall and being arranged at a shortdistance apart from and parallel to each other, so that the walls ofadjacent nozzles constitute a blowing nozzle having a slit parallel tothe suction slit and close to the printed web, at least one partitiondividing the easing into blowing and suction conduits, and meansconnecting the suction nozzles with said suction conduit and the blowingnozzles with said blowing conduit.

14. A- method for drying paper webs printed with colors, consisting inmoving the printed web lengthwise through a chamber which issubstantially completely closed on all sides and narrowly embraces themoving web, blowing a 45 plurality of streams of unheated fresh dry airinside of said chamber against the printed surface of the web, along aline transverse to the said web, and sucking away the air loaded withthe vapors of the color solvent, at a point closely adjacent thepoint atwhich the air strikes the web.

15. A method for drying paper webs printed with colors, consisting inmoving a web lengthwise through a casing which is substantiallycompletely closed on all sides and narrowly embraces the web, producinga stream of unheated fresh dry air inside the casing in a directionopposite to the direction of movement of the web, controlling thequantity of said stream of air, subdividing said stream of air into aplurality of bifurcated streams directed towards the moving web,blowingeach bifurcated stream against the printed side of the web,sucking off the air loaded with vapors of the color solvent from theprinted side of the web at a short distance beyond the line of impact.of each bifurcated stream on the web, and guiding each bifurcatedstream parallel and close to the surface of the printed side of the webtowards the line of suction.

